DIY Vanilla Extract with Ashley Pahl

a note from bonnie! happy monday, lovelies! since ashley pahl’s drink recipes have been such a huge hit, i’m very excited to share with you today that she’s coming on board as a weekly contributor- this time for a weekly diy project! to learn more about her (and just how adorably-sweet she is) make sure to head on over to her blog, indie pretty projects and check out her lovely etsy shop as well. now, won’t you join me in a big warm welcome for her?

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I’ve been cooking a lot more lately, and I’ve just started to realize how expensive real vanilla extract is – almost $4.00 for one ounce! Long ago I saw a recipe for DIY vanilla extract, and it’s amazing how easy and cost effective it is – it came out to $1.01 per ounce! This would be even cheaper if you bought ingredients in bulk.

ingredients

1 vanilla bean

3 ounces of vodka

air-tight container

directions

Starting 1/2″ from top of vanilla bean, slice length-wise down the bean, and stop 1/2″ from bottom of bean. fold bean in half, and place in air-tight container. Fill the container to the top with vodka. Store in a dark place for two months, when it is ready to use. Shake occasionally.

Glass containers with corks would work perfectly – I used a plastic, screw-top bottle I picked up at Hobby Lobby. Handmade vanilla extract makes a fantastic gift – even after the extract is used up, the bottle with the bean still in it can be re-filled with vodka to make extract again.

My extract started out clear as vodka, but within two days it has already darkened some – I can’t wait to try it out in a couple of months.

Have you tried making your own vanilla extract before? How did it turn out? Have you tried making any other kinds of extract for cooking?

Out to find ways to make life simpler, Ashley is tackling life one DIY project at a time. Learning as she goes, she also spends her days writing Indie Pretty Projects and creating for her Etsy shop.

Disclaimer

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